On September 21, 1780, during the American Revolution, American
General Benedict Arnold met with British Major John Andre to discuss
handing over West Point to the British, in return for the promise of
a large sum of money and a high position in the British army. The
plot was foiled and Arnold, a former American hero, became
synonymous with the word “traitor.”

Arnold was born into a respected family in Norwich, Connecticut,
on January 14, 1741.  He died in London June 13, 1801 at age 60. He
had been in poor health for several months.

General George T. Babbitt (81) is a retired United States Air Force
four-star general who served as Commander, Air Force Materiel Command (COMAFMC), from 1997 to 2000.

As a teenager in the late 1950s, Babbitt joined the Ventures rock
group, replacing the original drummer, Skip Moore. Just before
the band gained fame with their huge hit "Walk Don’t Run" in
1960, Babbitt had to drop out because he was not old enough to
play the nightclubs and bars the band was beginning to work in.

Babbitt was commissioned in 1965 through the Reserve Officer
Training Corps program at the University of Washington. He
trained as an aircraft maintenance officer and served as officer
in charge of fighter flight lines in the United States, the Pacific
and Europe.

He twice commanded aircraft maintenance squadrons and was
deputy commander for maintenance of a European F-15 wing.

Prior to assuming command of Air Force Materiel Command,
Babbitt was director of the Defense Logistics Agency at Fort
Belvoir, Virginia. (Wikipedia)

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A Louisiana man who is the oldest living World
War II veteran in the United States has marked his 112th birthday.

Lawrence Brooks celebrated Sunday with a drive-by party at his
New Orleans home hosted by the National World War II Museum,
The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate reported. He
also received greetings from Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards,
who tweeted, “Mr. Brooks, the entire state of Louisiana thanks
you for your service and we all wish you a joyous birthday.”